Books Before Boys Inc has expressed outrage over a disrespectful and demeaning portrayal of femininity that has been published by Prof. Emmanuel Clarke and his co-author, Mr. Isaac Vah Tukpah, Jr., in their book entitled: “George Weah: The Dream, the Legend, the Rise to Power.”
In a press release, Books Before Boys said it sees the disparaging phrases of characterization of Liberia’s First Lady Madam Clara Marie Weah and the late mother of President George Manneh Weah, Madam Anna Weah, as a national embarrassment.
It urged that this must be denounced or condemned by all, regardless of political, social, or religious affiliation.
Book Before Boys is a pro-women’s organization that promotes an idea of women empowerment and a commitment to the advancement of today’s girls and tomorrow’s mothers through education as a basic human right.
“Accusations of these are seen as a fundamental threat to the enormous progress that has been accomplished in recent years in terms of ensuring that the message of gender sensitivity resonates with people from every sector, social class and tribe, regardless of political or religious connections and differences,” the group said.
Mr. Tukpah, co-author of the book ‘George Weah, The Dream, The Legend, The Rise To Power,’ came under widespread public criticism on Tuesday for detailed explicit sex accounts he provided in the book resulting in his resignation as Chief of Staff in the office of opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) leader Alexander Cummings.
Tukpah was returned to Monrovia by Immigration and Police Officials after being caught along the border between Liberia and Sierra Leone, apparently attempting to leave Liberia.
“For this reason, any attitude, portrayal, or description that seems to be biased towards women should be denounced or condemned to the utmost extent possible,” the group added.
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Addressing a major press conference Wednesday, 2 February at the institution’s headquarters, the Public Relations Officer, Wonderlyn M. Wiefue, said “Those humiliating presumptions discussed in that book, which scandalously describe the female provenance of the First Lady, appear to indicate that so-called intelligent and highly educated men have underrated, undercut, and damaged our efforts to bring an end to violence against women and children.”
This, she continued, “In our opinion, is an outpouring of total hatred, disgust, and contempt for women. This kind of assault towards Liberian women, in general, and the First Lady, in particular, has no place in our society’s culture of tolerance.”
She called on all Liberian women, regardless of social, religious, cultural, or some other allegiances, to lambast this shameless and malevolent categorization of womanhood, and to express their frustration and anguish against Prof. Emmanuel Clarke and his co-author Isaac Tukpah, Jr.
Books Before Boys has requested that Tukpah Jr., apologizes and retracts his defamation of the First Lady, as well as his blatant disrespect of her person.
She said with such a disrespectful characterization, what can we say about our society’s ability to protect young women and underprivileged girls from people like Clarke and Tukpah? The time has come to move beyond his ridiculous attempt to degrade Liberian women in general and the First Lady in particular, and we must call on their compatriots and associates to decry them.
In order to avoid encouraging the abuse of women and compounding the suffering that the First Family is facing, Wonderlyn suggested that social media bloggers, radio talk show presenters, print media, and everyone else refrain from posting materials from the book on social media.
“Lastly, we condemn all forms of cyberbullying, domestic violence, and sexually related actions against women, girls, and children that have taken place in our country and around the world, she noted.
